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In November of 1997 is when the CBQ 4978 got the "green light" to be moved to Mendota from Ottawa IL. After a court case of
who gets to do what with the locomotive the judge rules that the LaSalle County Historical Society has the right to get their
property off the property were it was currently residing. I had the opportunity to ride
with the special train enroute to Mendota. It took Hulchers about two full days to get the locomotive out of the gate were
it was displayed from 1965 to the tracks in the Ottawa Silica Co. tracks about a mile away. It took another two days to get
the 4978 to Mendota. It was a snowy day in November of 1997 we began from Ottawa. The second day was sunny and bright,
but cold, and we reached Mendota as the pictures below tell the story. I literally have a couple hundred photos of the whole
trip and hope to compile them all on to a CD someday. A DVD documentary was made on the move and it is available at the Mendota
Railroad Museum and it is titled "The Big Move."
| On display in Ottawa since 1965 |
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| Freshly laid tracks await 4978 in Mendota |
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| After Caboose the Locomotive was coming next |
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| HUlcher's crews worked very hard to make this move possible! |
| Leo Muhlach greases the loco |
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| Don Reese is seen to right and both are volunteers |
| Leo Muhlach oiling the wheels |
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| All moving parts were lubricated before the move. |
| Hulcher's lay panel track to bring loco forward |
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| This went on for about a mile into Ottawa Silica plant |
| Pulling the locomotive a little at a time |
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| Hulcher's machinery in view |
| A spectator watches as it makes its way |
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| Bringing it down the road to Ottawa Silica |
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| Almost there! |
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| Not enough can be said about how Hulcher's team performed. |
| Joining the rails in the plant! |
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| A chilly, rainy Novemebr evening about 10pm. |
| At last! On the rails in the plant. |
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| The next day would be the trip to Montgomery and the next day to Mendota |
| Pat Reed BN local conductor on the BIG MOVE |
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| Pat and crew donated their time (two days) to move locomotive |
| A worrisome curve for 4978 but it made it okay. |
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| The whole train is together and ready to roll after this curve |
| A snowy, dreamy, surreal day. Glad to be there! |
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| Rolling along at about 15 mph |
| Passing through Milbrook IL |
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| Day two was beginning in Montgomery |
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| Mendota here we come! |
| On the BN main westbound |
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| Breif Stop at Leland IL |
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| One of my favorite pics |
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| I will never forgot coming around that curve! |
| The tender backs to the caboose |
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| It was a special moment for the museum |
| 1950s 4978 seen working |
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| author of photo unknown |
There are so many people to thank who were involved in the movement of the locomotive. I thank Bill Greenwood and Pat
Reed for allowing me to ride in the caboose on this special train. I remember it as being one of the best days of my life.
With me in the caboose was conductor Pat Reed, Leo Muhlach, Harry Schaller, Bill Greenwood, Ken Holzner and Lee Stocking.
Harry fired up the stove to help keep us warm because it definitely was cold and even colder the second day.
Leo Muhlach and his wife Norma were a tremendous help to me in the collection of photos in the early 1990s before there was
ever even a thought about a railroad museum in Mendota. I used those 8x10 photos to help in build the model layout of Mendota.
I donated all 4,000+ hours to build it. Leo helped me build the bench work also when I arrived to Mendota to set the display
up. Once I reached Mendota I stayed. I thank Bill Greenwood and Harry Schaller for helping me get started in Mendota and also
allowing me to man the station for Amtrak trains.
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